


I'll Never Lie to You

by Aka_Mel



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-14
Updated: 2018-03-28
Packaged: 2019-03-04 14:46:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13366944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aka_Mel/pseuds/Aka_Mel
Summary: Marinette's as equally unsure as Adrien about the new classmate that rolled into their classroom. He reminds Marinette of someone, someone she naggingly can't recall, but when she's unsure if what he ever tells her is a lie or truth, it's hard to decide whether he's charming or a fake. Whereas Adrien, who normally welcomes all with a model smile, can't seem to settle down around this guy. Who is Luca?





	1. An Open Seat

Marinette sat down at her usual spot and sighed. The empty spot next to her made her feel so isolated from class, as if there was a giant gap between her and everyone else, just because that space was open and the rest of the desks were so far away. She envied even Sabrina listening to Chloe ramble on about something inane and vain because at least she was having fun. Marinette felt a tightness in her chest but pushed on and got ready for class.

Why did Alya have to be sick today? she wondered to herself.

"Psssttt!" she heard a very tiny voice speak to her. If Marinette hadn't already known who the voice belonged to she might think she were crazy. She looked down at her clutch purse and saw Tikki through the unclasped opening. "You'll be fine!" she encouraged, "It just means you can talk to more of your classmates today."

Marinette smiled down weakly at Tikki. She still missed Alya's strong presence.

"Maybe even Adrien..." Tikki whispered behind her palms...flap hands? Marinette never knew how to describe Tikki sometimes. But the thought fled her when she eyed Adrien under her lashes taking his seat with Nino. Marinette's smile became genuine and the tightness in her chest felt crushing but she welcomed the feeling.

No one noticed Marinette acting like her usual goofy self...except an unfamiliar face entering the classroom. He didn't think she was gorgeous but her smile brightened the room and he wanted more of that smile all to himself.

Marinette forgot all about getting ready for class and the emptiness left by Alya's absence and her anxiety, all because of Adrien. She stared at the boy half getting ready for lessons and half chatting with Nino about his newest film project that he and Alya were working on: Paris Superheroes. Marinette sighed happily as she admired the way his hair seemed to glow in the morning light and how his eyes shined when he laughed.

She almost didn't notice someone sitting down in Alya seat. He was of average height with tan skin almost as dark as his reddish brunette hair. The lightest thing about him was his bright green eyes, almost like Adrien's...

He hadn't looked at her as he sat down but she was already nervous about someone else taking Alya's spot. Alya would not like that when she came back. But Marinette didn't want to be mean...so she scooted a few centimeters away. Marinette didn't recognize him so he must be knew and she remembered when the school year started for her. Besides, Alya would sort it out tomorrow. She went back to getting ready for class.

The boy smiled even though Marinette didn't notice.

"I don't bite," he chuckled. He thought she was even cuter closer up.

Marinette jumped when he spoke to her and didn't know how to properly react to his comment. A bunch of noises came out of her mouth but none of it was coherent or fully formed words. She tried using her hands when her mouth stopped working, but apparently her brain was the problem because she just randomly gesticulated, making even less sense. She didn't know why she was doing that. She was never this nervous around people. Sure, she was a klutz but she was used to interacting with people. She worked in a bakery where she had to talk to new people every minute.

He made things even worse when he asked, "Unless you do?" His smile was playful and coy, curled at the corner like a cat...or a fox.

They heard a loud slam on their desk, the whole class heard the slam and the comment that came after.

"I do," Adrien goaded the new student. He had grabbed enough of his attention when he slammed his palm against the desk but the wide eyed blinking face at Adrien's words was a better reaction. So were Nino's muffled laughs.

It was all a joke, meant to be funny, but Adrien had to half wonder to himself, Why am I doing this? Marinette could take care of herself, she had when Evillustrator and Gamer attacked and even hold her own against Chloe, and...the guy hadn't done anything wrong in reality. All he knew was that she looked so nervous she might break any second and he didn't like people confusing his friends. He didn't let any of this show though, his internal confusion did nothing to disrupt the joking atmosphere. He waited for the new guy to laugh awkwardly at his joke but...

The new guy purred, "I'm not into that but I'd be willing to try with you handsome." He had his chin propped on his hand and his smirk grew until the corners of his eyes crinkled with mischievousness.

"Uh..." Adrien reacted as brilliantly as Marinette had. Marinette blushed at the two eyeing each other. She wasn't sure whether to be worried about this guy for her own sake...or for Adrien's now.

The whole classroom went quiet for a few seconds. He just beat Adrien at his own joke. No one really beat Adrien at anything except Chloe, but Adrien let her.

Even Nino was confused as he stared at his best friend unable to recover from the new dude's taunts.

"Good morning, class," Miss Caline Bustier interrupted. Their classroom teacher had no clue of the tension striking the class. "As you know..."

Everyone began to switch gears mentally and even though they eyed Adrien a couple of times more after, most let the issue go. Only a small handful would bother the normally calm and collected model about it later.

"Dude? What was that all about?" Nino whispered with a small laugh. He tried to laugh it off but his smile fell with Adrien's pause.

"I...don't know," he brushed aside. Fortunately, Miss Bustier talking kept Nino from asking more. He wavered between saying it was all just a joke or to admit he did it to protect Marinette.

Once everyone's attentions were drawn away, the new kid slid the few centimeters Marinette had tried to retreat from earlier and sat close to her. Marinette tensed but couldn't run away since she was already close to the edge of the desk bench and it would look awkward if she moved. She swallowed hard and tried to ignore him.

He bent a bit forward over the desk to look at her face from below and smiled. "My name's Lucus Giordano. You can call me Luca though."

Marinette perked at the name but couldn't place why she reacted to it at all. She frowned in thought. Her lips puckering like a pout. The new kid, Luca, chuckled under his hand.

"We also have a new student today," Miss Bustier announced. It should have been obvious, but Marinette just realized she meant the boy sitting next to her. "His name is Lucius Giordano." Miss Bustier gestured towards Luca. "He is from Italy and is visiting our school per suggestion from his cousin. I hope you all get to know him and show him how friendly the Collège Françoise Dupont can be. Now..."

Marinette eyed him now that he was looking towards the front of the classroom. She wondered, Had he...lied to her? But it was only a one letter difference...

Luca noticed her pout again but with a thoughtful stare at her notebook. He whispered, "My father calls me Lucius, which sounds stupid. My family calls me Lucus."

She didn't say anything but she blinked several times at him and stared at him straight on, feeling braver the more he talked. So...not a lie, she assessed mentally.

"But I only let people I really like call me Luca," he said a bit huskier than before. His curled smile returning but the glint in his green eyes looked more predator. His hair is flat... Marinette told herself, it was nothing like Adrien's fluffy blonde hair and neither were his hungry green eyes. Adrien's were soft...like his mother's.

Adrien saw them interact from the corner of his eyes and wondered where these dark contemplations were coming from. He never reacted like this before, he had supported Nino's crush on Marinette before, but he could trust Nino. This guy though, Adrien didn't feel like he could trust him anymore than the cold emotions tightening his chest and fist.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is mostly unedited and written a long while ago, but I've been dissatisfied with being unable to write for fun lately so I thought I'd post this just to get it out there and bite the bullet. Ironically there's fan theories floating around about a "Luca" appearing in the canon show later and I chose the name for this character A YEAR ago! XD Near when the Volpina episode was aired. I just love the name. I'm also dissatisfied with how I portrayed Adrien here but again, biting the bullet just to get "anything" done for myself XD
> 
> I hope you enjoy reading and are as confused with Luca as Marinette, Adrien, and I am! XD


	2. Which Cat Has Your Tongue?

"Marinette...I feel sick..." Tikki had said partway through the day. Marinette tried to sneak out of school early to talk to Master Fu about it, but Tikki insisted she would be fine until her classes were over. Marinette was already in hot water for skipping so many already... She tried to ask Tikki what was wrong but the small being of magic huddled into Marinette's purse with the snack she was offered. Then, every time Marinette took her eyes off Tikki...Luca was there. Not always next to her but whenever she looked up her eyes found him. She didn't know what was wrong with her. She only ever had eyes for Adrien before now...  
Thankfully, Lucius, Lucus, or Luca, whatever you wanted to call him, was distracted by the multitude of inquiries from the rest of her classmates when the final bell tolled so that she could quietly pack and run away. When she was able to focus on her teachers’ lectures she was fine but whenever she got distracted she found herself tensing around Luca. She was Ladybug and yet for some reason she was acting like a cat and he was like catnip or a shiny ball distracting her out of the corner of her eyes. He looked like he was doing it on purpose...oh, who was she kidding, she was Marinette, klutz by day and night.  
Speaking of which…  
The toe of her shoe caught on the bottom frame of the entrance doors and her legs and feet scrambled everywhere to catch herself, but she saw herself tumbling closer and closer towards the stairs to her death. 'Sorry folks, Ladybug can't save Paris anymore on account of death by flight of stairs.' She almost cried, she had been so close to home.  
"Hey!" a sweet male voice cried.  
Sweet? Marinette wondered why she thought that. Adrien?  
She felt a hand roughly grab her upper arm, but she didn't mind since they saved her and then encased her in their arms and not into the arms of death. She hadn't realized how cold and sweaty she was until she felt the warmth of a red sweater against her cheek. She felt engulfed in heat and somewhat...trapped.  
"Hey?" the voice said again. "You okay?"  
Marinette blinked several times and realized she was still in this person's arms. She struggled, for a second, but was able to jump out. When she pulled back and looked up she found Luca. "Uhhhhhh...Yes, I uhm...the building, I'm...old--no! I mean, the building is old and uhm..."  
Luca laughed a little too wholeheartedly, but Marinette was used to being made fun of.  
"You're adorable," was the last thing Marinette expected him to say.  
She looked up from staring at her feet and back at him and regretted it immediately. She felt her heart beat faster and her cheeks grew red. It was so instantaneous she didn't know what to do next, so she gawked awkwardly and tensed.  
"Oh, I'm sorry, did I embarrass you? I don't mean to. Like in class, I didn't mean to put you on the spot. I just wanted to get to know you better. You won't even tell me your name."  
“But…you already know my name? Don’t you?” He would have heard it in class when her name was called on or something like that. She wasn’t naïve or dumb enough to fall for his feign at innocence, but she couldn’t help but giggle at his pouting. He puffed up his cheeks and pursed his lips and squinted his eyes like a child, or like a hamster. She didn’t know why but he wanted her to tell him that her name was, “Marinette. Marinette Dupain-Cheng.” He stopped pouting and instantly perked like he had been handed a treat, like a puppy. Marinette did like puppies…and hamsters. Maybe this guy wasn’t as scary as she thought he was. She giggled out loud this time. “So, Lucius, right? Thank you for helping me.”  
His cheeks inflated right back up and his brows furrowed. “I said you could call me Luca. Don’t you remember?”  
Marinette…vaguely remembered, but she had been so focused on avoiding him that it wasn’t what readily came to mind for her. “Ah-haha, right! So, uhm, are you headed home?” Plus, she had to take Tikki to Master Fu, but this boy was too easily distracting.  
Luca's curling smile returned and that unsettled a certain blond that happened upon the scene.

Marinette was smiling, a small smile admittedly than Adrien was used to, but he felt jealous that she was first afraid of him and now seemingly friends. Adrien shouldn’t complain, he didn’t want to complain, he had no reason to complain, but he felt like this guy earned Marinette’s smile too easily. When he had to work so hard for her friendship to make up for something he hadn’t even done to her. He didn’t blame Marinette. Marinette was a really good friend. He blamed this newcomer.  
Adrien stepped faster to reach them.  
“Hey!” he said louder than necessary but still within the conversational range of decorum. Marinette jumped at first at his voice then jumped more staring at Adrien. That made him feel better that she was still acting normal around him. Adrien felt even better when the guy raised an eyebrow and frowned. He felt a vindictive warmth flooding through him—wait…why did Adrien feel good about that? He just came over to say hi and check on Marinette. Adrien looked down at Marinette. She looked fine, her brow also raised now.  
“Adrien? Are you okay?”  
Adrien blinked a few times and was at a loss for words. That was new.  
He shook his head to drive out the weird fog he felt. His vision seemed to waver and glitter for a second, but it went away as soon ashe noticed. Then placed his hand behind his head with an unsure smile on his face. “Yeah, sorry about that. I think today’s been a lot. You know Ms. Mendeleiev,” he joked.  
Marinette laughed lightly, covering her lips with her hand, then smiled.  
Luca raised both eyebrows at Adrien this time. Frown gone.  
“So,” Adrien started back up again, “What are you two up to? Friends already?”  
Luca blinked several times at Adrien. As if he was trying to telepathically tell Adrien something. It was starting to get unsettling.  
Marinette answered, “Oh, I was being a klutz and tripped on my own two feet and Luca caught me.”  
“Luca?” Adrien asked.  
“To a select few,” Luca clarified. Adrien was about to ask what he meant when Luca stuck out his hand and left it there for Adrien to shake. “We also didn’t get off on the right foot.”  
He didn’t clarify but Adrien didn’t want to be rude so he shook Luca’s hand. He felt a sting on contact and he suddenly felt sick to his stomach. Adrien's groan covered Plagg's half a second cry. Had Plagg felt that pain too somehow? Adrien let go of Luca's hand and dropped to one knee, a hand over his mouth and half wondered if he were about to lose his stomach. That’s how painful the sensation felt.  
“Adrien!” Marinette cried out.  
But instead of the feel of her small, slender hands, Adrien felt bigger ones much like his own grasp his shoulder and hold him steady.  
“Adrien!” a voice said more dramatically. It roused Adrien from the pain for a moment to look up and see…was Luca glowing? Not like literally and impossibly glowing like some mythical creature, but…he looked really bright and emotional all of a sudden. “Are you alright? What’s wrong, caro?” Were those tears brimming in his eyes? Adrien blanched more. Did he just call Adrien ‘dear’ like a friend or child?  
Adrien didn’t even feel angry. He didn’t know why he did what he did next.  
“I’m fine.” Then shoved Luca away like…Adrien didn’t know like what, all he knew was that it was unlike him. His eyes widened in shock at his own actions.  
Luca was on the ground but he didn’t look offended despite the spill of tears over his cheeks. He sniffled once.  
“Adrien?” Marinette said with a softness in her voice that startled Adrien. Like she couldn’t get her voice out. When he looked at her she looked…scared.  
Oh no…  
“Adrien? What’s wrong--?”  
“I have to go.” Adrien fixed the strap of his bag and rushed out down the stairs towards his waiting limo. He normally hated how efficient his schedule was, but today, he was thankful for it.

Marinette watched Adrien go with apprehension. He shoulders tense, her brows furrowed, her hand extended slightly as if to reach out. Luca stared at that hand and frowned.  
“Adrien’s never acted like that before…and he sounded like he was in pain,” she breathed.  
Luca raised an eyebrow. Then shot up onto his feet and cajorted, “Don’t worry about him! You look frazzled. I should take you for some ice cream! Actually, do they serve gelato here in France? There’s nothing better!” He babbled on but Marinette couldn't hear him.  
Marinette suddenly felt a shift in her purse and when she eyed down inconspicuously she saw Tikki, still weak, and begging with her eyes for Marinette to leave. This was all too much.  
"I'm sorry! I have to go!" Without any more of an explanation, she left Luca in the dust and ran towards Master Fu's place.  
Luca had never seen anyone walk out on him like this. He stared around. He stared down at himself. He looked up. He slipped a hand into his pocket and pulled out a hand mirror (which he reminded himself wasn’t his, it was his cousin’s) and stared into his reflection. Nope. He looked phenomenal. Downright drop dead beautiful…well…maybe not compared to Adrien Agreste. He felt something dark in him fester. He had nothing against the kid, but he wanted to be loved too. He promised his Papa that he wouldn’t use his ability anymore…but he didn’t want to be alone in this giant city. His hand clenched into a fist, his eyes grew dark, and a bright miasma of wispy color wavered around him. He sucked in air through his nose and looked to the heavens at the same time the miasma of color shot into his body like a vacuum. He sighed slowly and deeply as his mood settled and his energies revitalized with the new batch of energy he just stole. All of Adrien's good will and kindness. He didn’t like stealing so much, he did feel bad when he saw how much pain he put Adrien through, but he needed some help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Due to (one) comment XD I decided to try to continue this! That little bit helped me sit down and figure out a story for this little blurb of an idea :D Thank you lil_fangirl27! This one's for you :D
> 
> Hope all enjoy! Let's see where this idea takes me!


	3. Lonely Boys

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something's wrong with the Kwamis. Luca's on the move. Adrien's and Marinette are trying to sort out their heads...or is it their hearts?

Unfortunately for Marinette, Master Fu’s office had a giant closed sign over the door and the hallway felt cold with inactivity. Marinette felt like her heart had capsized against an iceberg with her initial reaction, but then tightened with anxiety. What was she going to do?  
Marinette looked down and unclasped her purse. “Tikki? Are you okay?”  
“I don’t feel very good at all…I don’t have any energy.”  
“I can’t believe I let you get sick again…you did fall off the bed last night.”  
“I don’t feel sick, Marinette…just…so tired… It feels like my energy’s being sucked out of me.”  
That made Marinette’s anxiety grow. She understood being sick, but what did she do with her kwami like this? She looked once more at the sign, re-clasped her purse, knocked on the door just for extra assurance, but when no sound came from the other side for more than 10 seconds she grew unnerved. She went to leave the building with one last look over her shoulder to the door.  
Her steps were heavy with each heavy footstep against the tiles. When she reached the ground floor and the propped open door she made her way out. The light was too bright to see much outside. Hence…  
“Hey!”  
Marinette screamed and flailed like a frightened bird. Her eyes were halfway to popping straight out of her head.  
“Sorry!” Luca told her. “I’m sorry. I did it again. I didn’t mean to frighten you…I just—“ His hand jumped out from behind his back and a flash of red appeared in front of Marinette’s face. She blinked several times to clear her vision. “Wow!” Luca elated. “I didn’t think that would work! I—I mean the magic trick, that is, haha!”  
A vibrant and bright red rose shown in front of her face and she gasped. Marinette felt light headed with the sweet scent of the flower.  
A part of her questioned why a rose would smell sweet, they normally smelled earthy… The thought jolted her brain a bit and she could ask, “Magic trick? Wait…how did you find me? Did you follow me?”  
He took her right hand gingerly and set the rose to cradle between her thumb and fingers, and then told her, “I followed your aura. You have an amazing presence to you, Marinette. All glitter and inspiration and magic. I’ve never felt anything like it before. You’re really special, you know that, Marinette?” His smile didn’t curl this time and he looked genuinely happy to Marinette. But she blinked several times, not possibly understanding how he could mean her.  
“Tha—“  
Before she could finish he pushed her hair behind her ear, despite the fact that she liked her face framed with bangs. She had never liked how round it was, she had wished when she was younger she had a stronger European nose or defined jaw line, like her wild grandmother. She froze.  
“Would you like to get some ice cream with me?” he asked her.  
His smile could warm hardened criminals, Marinette thought. She took a step back, wary, still suspicious how he found her, no one, not even Alya knew she visited Master Fu. A small cough gave her even more reason to decline that…wonderful…smile. She furiously shook her head. “I really shouldn’t…I…I probably have to help my parents—“  
“At your bakery shop,” he interjected. “Nino told me all about it. Best baker family in all of Paris. I’d love to try some! French bread is the biggest thing I wanted to try when my Papa sent me to school here.”  
“Oh…” Marinette whispered. She still wasn’t sure, but at least if he took her there her parents would be there with her, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to be alone with him—yet. She shook her head, why had she thought yet? “What about your Papa? Won’t he be worried about you staying out?”  
“I’m here alone actually…I…Papa thought the education here would do me some good.”  
Marinette’s heart broke when she repeated, “Alone?” She remembered the years before Alya became her best friend…life was a misery every day with people like Chloe bullying her and getting away with it, remembering made her blood boil, but when you had no one to talk to, confide in… The isolation would have likely killed her if Alya and Adrien and Tikki hadn’t come into her life. She whisked those thoughts away and focused on not letting anyone else feel like she did. “Of course you can come over. I can even let you sample the leftovers.”  
His face crumbled and his eyes looked moist as his smile grew until he looked like he could outshine the sun. “Thank you, Marinette. I’d love to spend time with you and your family.”  
Marinette didn’t understand it. Her heart raced, her stomach turned, she felt warm and safe, but she hadn’t ever felt that for anyone but…

Adrien wasn't ready yet to face home, the emptiness that waited for him, so he had run to the small park nearby and never made it to his limo. He sat there on a bench, under a tree, in the shadows, and wrestled with his anger. Something he wasn't used to, well, he knew anger and had it on occasion when his father neglected him on his worst days, but ever since he became Chat Noir he got so used to releasing some of the tension. Speaking of which...  
Some of the anger funneled when he remembered Plagg's cry earlier.  
He lifted the strap over his head and unzipped it to peer inside. Plagg was curled on his side and...hacking. He made enough expressions of the cartoonish nature enough to look like had a fur ball stuck in his throat. Adrien frowned. "Plagg, please don't throw up a hairball in my bag. It's already bad enough that I smell like camembert all the time."  
Plagg gave one final hack then slapped his lips together then shuddered. "It wasn't a fur ball! I felt sick! Like my whole beautiful body wanted to rip apart from the inside! Taking away my precious camembert from me!"  
"That's essentially the same thing--vomiting."  
"No! It felt like my whole body was loosing!"  
"Losing your lunch, I get it."  
"No! It felt...felt like when I transform...you suck up my energy until I need to refuel...it felt like that."  
Adrien raised an eyebrow, "Huh? Plagg, what are you..." Adrien's words trailed off. He remembered the sharp pain from earlier that started all of this. He had forgotten about it since it went away so fast and he had bigger problems now...Like how he had run away from his bodyguard. Father wasn't going to be happy with him when he got home.  
Plagg shook his head furiously, then blinked at nothing in particular for a second. "I don't know...it was when you were talking to that new kid. The one Marinette keeps eyeballing--"  
"She was not eyeballing him! He just...happened to be in her line of vision...a lot."  
"Why are you getting angry at me for? I don't eat eyeballs," Plagg said confused but sounding more back to normal then before.  
Adrien thought that was a weird thing to say, even for Plagg, that his energy was being sucked up and not about the eyeballs...although that was a little bit weird too. But he seemed to be recovering fine so it must have just been a bad case of camembert or something. Plagg did try to eat his games when they first met, then decided it didn't taste good. What was good tasting was skeptical and relative when it came to Plagg. And yet, Adrien wondered why Plagg felt sick and out of energy. Adrien had felt like hurling his stomach earlier too but he had felt energized by how angry he was afterwards, and Adrien could guess where the anger came from. He didn't like seeing Luca making someone he knew uncomfortable. Yeah, that was reasonable, right? Not for Adrien though, and he wondered why he was still mad now.  
"You have a thing for Marinette now?" Plagg asked out of the blue.  
"What! No! She's just..." He wanted to say friend. It was true. But Adrien had been acting very unlike himself today and only one person in the world got his head in a tizzy...  
Adrien heard a laugh in the distance, a familiar laugh. At first his heart jumped, he thought it might be Ladybug. She could fix his crappy day. Then his heart sank at the sight of Marinette...with Luca...smiling. They crossed the street and leisurely walked past the park, Adrien watched them through the gate bars like a prisoner...or a kitty in a cage. He had had enough of cages. The thought of being in his room, the sun setting and drawing shadows on the lines of his windows made him shudder. He couldn't do anything about where he lived, but his father had granted him enough freedoms he could attend school outside, make friends...protect his friends.  
It was unfair to assume the worst, and he knew it, but there was something about Luca that Adrien didn't trust.  
They passed the park entirely and headed towards Marinette's family's bakery, in other words, her home.  
“Oh no, not him again!” Adrien groaned under his breath. Then he dashed off after them.  
“Oh no, not again!” Plagg cried, feeling his stomach turn as Adrien shot away and haphazardly jostled his bag, and Plagg's daytime sleeping quarters, around like an excitable child with a balloon, or maybe more aptly right now a furious, screaming child with a balloon. Plagg wished dearly that his old Adrien would come back soon. His hands covered his mouth and held it.

Marinette heard a small cough and grew distracted from Luca's ramblings. She placed a hand lightly over her purse as if just her presence could help Tikki.  
"Hey." Marinette jumped when Luca leaned in way too close and their noses almost touched. "You seem distracted? Something wrong? I can fix it, you know. My nonna says I have a magic touch."  
Marinette couldn't exactly say that she was worried about a mystical bug creature that lived in her purse and was sick. She panicked and told him she had a bug in her throat. She immediately regretted it.  
"A bug?" He looked as confused at first then switched gears and that curling smile returned. "Want me to find it for you?"  
"But...I just said it's in my throat..." She didn't like the lie at all but she had to play along.  
He started to move and Marinette froze. She thought he was going for her face but she still jumped the same when his smooth lips grazed her ear and his warm breath tickled her hair. "I'm not as good as Parisians but I can learn if you want me to." He was a breadth's away from doing just that and Marinette felt so hot in the face it was boiling her brain functions. She likely wouldn't stop him if he...did she want him to stop? Her flesh felt so tingly and the distance between them not short enough...  
He looked down and she up, and she couldn't help staring into his eyes. They shined brightly in hue like a gem. Like...  
Luca took his thumb and index finger to stroke Marinette's chin, moving in circles that came dangerously close to the rise of her bottom lip. She felt cold and hot at the same time. Then cold as he leaned in and the shadows playing on his face made him look...predatory. She took a half step back but it wasn't far enough.  
"Marinette!" she heard Adrien yell. Then a series of gasps.  
Luca stopped, his eyes wide and his hands tensed. He didn't hurt or grip her, but she felt the muscles therein.  
Wait...Adrien's here!  
She panicked and shoved Luca so hard he fell on his rear and began babbling nonsense for a second before returning to, "Ah! Adrien! Hi!" She tried to wave innocently, but felt anything like.  
Adrien looked between of the two of them. Marinette was red in the face but looked unharmed. Luca looked...confused. His eyes wide, his brows raised high, and blinking several times. Marinette kind of looked like that around him sometimes. He assessed Marinette was fine, more so then Luca, but he still asked, "Are you okay, Marinette? I went to say hi to you but then you two disappeared for a sec back here."  
Marinette blinked, not sure what he meant at first until she wildly looked around. When did she end up in one of the alleyways next to her house?! She was directing them to the front! Did she unconsciously take Luca back here? Did he try to kiss her because it looked like she wanted him back here?! This wasn't like her, what was going on!!  
"Marinette?" Adrien asked again.  
"Yes!" she screamed. "Yes..." more calmly the second time. "I'm fine. Everything's fine!"  
They both heard Italian from the side. The undertones made it sounded like Luca wasn't happy.  
Marinette chocked back a laugh. He had his cheeks puffed up and held like a hamster. It was hard to believe this was the same guy that almost got her to kiss him and was so intimate a second ago. She leaned and offered him her hand. Reluctantly, Adrien offered his own to Luca so they could both help him up.  
Luca eyed the two hands separately then at their respective owners then gripped both. They both felt a momentary pinch but couldn't explain it, so forgot about it. Then hoisted Luca up effortlessly.  
"My heart was almost wounded. I thought you both forgot about me," he joked.  
"I'm so sorry, Luca. Let me make it up to you and offer you anything in my parent's bakery."  
"Anything?"  
Adrien glared. "As in baked goods."  
"A--Adrien? You're welcome to come as well," Marinette stuttered.  
Adrien felt disarmed around her. She was brave and smart and strong. He smiled and said, "I would love to. I never got to try any of your parents' croissants or cookies last time." Instead of a frown like Adrien expected though, he saw Luca had a small smile. That unnerved Adrien more then what he saw seconds before he called out to Marinette. Why was he happy Adrien was sticking around?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My own head's not been in the game lately, but the comments from the last chapter really REALLY helped and motivated me to keep this one up! Thank you all SO MUCH for any kind words you have for this fic, it's been a great project so far and I'm loving exploring Luca hopefully as much as you guys like learning about him. Here's to those that helped me out emotionally keep this up. This is to you! :D
> 
> EDIT: I FORGOT TO ADD! I'M A SCARED BEAN SO I DON'T RESPOND TO COMMENTS BECAUSE OF THAT BUT I LOVE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM AND HEART THEM ALL! I WISH TO RESPOND BUT ALL THE RESPONSE WOULD BE IS NOISES I MAKE ROLLING AROUND ON THE GROUND IN HAPPINESS. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO COMMENTS AND KUDOS THIS STORY!


	4. "She loves me...She loves me not..."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things take a nasty turn when Luca can't learn to share his desserts or friends.

Marinette heard her mama coo about _suitors_ and Marinette blanched and blushed all at the same time. They already knew Adrien so she only had to live through her parents embarrassing her in front of Luca. She made the introductions and her parents both ooh-ed and aah-ed and it was just about too much until Adrien said his hellos as well. He was cordial as ever, dashing, and charming, even her mama blushed and her papa was smiling _way_ too broadly. Marinette smiled.

                        Luca nudged her arm with his elbow to gain her attention quietly and she stared at him idling too close again. “What is that?” he whispered with excitement.

He pointed at a tower of choux pastry balls piled high with dried caramel drizzles out on display and Marinette giggled.

“Croquembouche,” she told him. “But you have them in Italy too.”

Luca smiled widely, his eyes slitting by the length of the smile. _He knew that_.

Marinette finally felt comfortable enough around him to stop blushing and raise an eyebrow. His antics reminded her of Chat Noir for some reason, and he also enjoyed croquembouche. They did both have a similar “cattish” look to them. Marinette stared. _He couldn’t be…_

He looked back at her from staring at the desserts and jumped for a second, then that curling smile returned, “See anything  you like?”

Marinette shrugged and told him, "Papa's fruit tarts. Did you mean anything else?"

                        His shoulders sagged and his frown was so shocked.

                        Marinette giggled. She finally had this boy's rhythm figured out.

                        Luca relaxed a bit watching her and said easily, "You have a beautiful smile...I wish you would smile only for me."

                        Marinette blinked. What he had told her sounded... _too much_ for anyone to ask. There were days she wished she had Adrien's attention to herself but she would never ask it forever more. "Is it really that painful? Don't you have anyone at home?"

                        Luca whole body looked like it deflated upon asking him that question. She knew it was too personal to ask, but she felt like that must have been the root of his problem.

 

Adrien heard the whole thing since Marinette's parents went to the back of the shop, practically begging him to take home a goodie bag of treats from their shop. They said they'd come back with one for him and Luca, and so he heard the whole thing. He had waited to find a moment to jump in, but Marinette held her own to Luca's inappropriateness then they brought up that and now Adrien felt lost. This whole time Adrien assumed Luca was one of those playboys that you couldn't trust as far as you could throw them, but instead he was lashing out for attention because he received none at home. Adrien could relate. He felt Luca was _much_ but it all made sense to him now. He hung his head in shame and put a hand behind his neck guiltily. If Adrien should have been most welcoming to anyone it should have been Luca. What was wrong with him earlier?

                        Luca scratched the back of his head and explained, "I had a cousin that was supposed to come back and go to school with me, but she decided not to come back until she was stronger. Whatever that means. Maybe you met her? While she was here?"

                        "I don't remember anyone new coming called Giordano," Marinette pondered.

                        "We don't have the same last names, her's is Rossi. Lila Rossi."

                        "Lila?!" Adrien and Marinette shouted at the same time, then both looked awkwardly around.

                        "You guys both know her? That's ironic," Luca commented.

                        "She...was very friendly," Adrien tried. She was friendly, and a habitual liar too. Adrien wondered if the cousins were anything alike.

                        Marinette laughed weakly, remembering how poorly she handled that situation at first. She had been rash and angry and jealous, leading to her being more vicious then she ever wanted to be again.

                        "Is she doing okay? You said she wanted to be stronger?"

                        "Yeah, something about revenge and blah blah. She can be such a bitch sometimes though."

                        Adrien jumped at the word _bitch_. He wasn't used to fowl language, unless it was Natalie shouting at someone doing something wrong but she always prefaced it with, ' _Adrien cover your ears_.'

                        "Oh," Marinette tried to laugh off weakly.

                        "She's fine though, and as much as I complain about her it would have been nice to have her here. Someone who understands," he trailed off.

                        Marinette felt concerned. She didn't know how it felt to be in an entirely new place with no one your knew to help. She had always lived in Paris and had the same set of classmates. She thought maybe Alya could help, even though she had her family here, she might understand the school bit of it and could give him some advice. She'd have to text Alya and ask later. Marinette patted Luca's arm and gave him an encouraging smile. "You can always come to me if you ever need help, Luca. We're classmates after all."

                        Luca looked like he was about to say something snide when Adrien spoke first, "And me." The boy smiled kindly at Luca, returning to his old self. "I know it can be tough in a new place and when you loose people you care about."

                        Marinette's brows rose, remembering about his mother and how cold his father could be. She couldn't say anything because he had only told her about his mama as Ladybug, but she felt guilty having forgotten--his smile always made him look so happy.

                        Adrien's eyes wandered from Luca to Marinette and his smile grew. Marinette smiled back.

                        Luca eyed the exchange and felt dark on the inside. It was a beautiful scene. There was nothing wrong with it. They knew each other longer, and he only today, but he wanted to destroy it so badly. He felt sick about it but he let that dark feeling in him eat him up.

 

"I wonder what's taking my parents so long?" Marinette wondered.

                        Luca ignored her and offered his hand to Adrien again, planning to take way more then before and look good in front of Marinette. His papa warned him for years if he didn't knock it off he'd send Luca away. One too many power steals later, the one that landed the most popular guy in his class in the hospital for a day, was the last straw. He was shipped off to France. But as much as he hated being practically kicked out until 'he learned his lesson,' Luca realized thing were better this way, his papa couldn't stop him anymore. Adrien stared then smiled warmly just before he began to lift his hand for him. That was exactly the friendliness that he wanted. He planned to take all the good away from Adrien for himself. The edge of his smile curled.

                        "I should go check on them...they're taking an awful long time in there."

                        Adrien paused, turned his head away from Luca to Marinette and said, "We can come. See where the magic happens." Adrien turned his head back to Luca and smiled encouragingly, he beamed like the sun in a humble way and it was infuriating to Luca, but not as much as Adrien taking his hand back.

                        Luca breathed slowly, and said with fake good humor, "That'll be fun. See the knitty gritty of the backstage."

                        Marinette nodded, her smile melting some of Luca's irrational anger. The one his papa berated him for despite having a temper of his own, where did his papa think he got it from? Besides, he would have more opportunities to make a grab for Adrien on accident and steal his goodness from him. His family called him jokingly a "psychic vampire," apt, since right then he was looking for a good bite.

                        "Oh, okay, that'll be great," Marinette said. She pointed towards the door in the far back, behind the decorative glass partition that covered the stairwell to the Dupain-Chen's family area. She started to walk and expected them to follow, but Luca held Adrien back for a second.

                        Adrien paused and waited for Luca to speak, having no idea what the other guy was going to say.

                        "So...you said I could come to you for help?" Luca scratched the back of his head nervously.

                        Adrien blinked, smiled, then nodded his head.

                        "Do...you think you could give me some advice about Marinette? How to get her?"

                        _Get?_ Adrien raised an eyebrow. "You don't really _get_ her. She's not a toy."

                        "What?" Luca growled then sighed something in Italian. "I didn't mean it like that, you know what I meant. I just...I want some advice so I can be near her. I can't seem to get her to like me. You know?" Luca put a heavy hand on Adrien's shoulder, making a thud sound.

                        Luca's smile appeared and Adrien felt that anger from before return.

                        Adrien shoved Luca's hand off of him. Luca's eyes widened but he didn't look hurt by the gesture, but something dark past his eyes. "She offered you her help when you needed it. What more do you want?"

                        "Not her friendship," he voice clipped.

                        "Then what!" Adrien snapped. His anger rising and his patience waning thin.

                        Luca chuckled, "What do you think, stupid? Her love."

                        Adrien's eyes widened, but soon sharpened with the furrow of his brows. "What the hell makes you think you'd deserve that," he demanded.

                        "Because I don't want to be alone."

                        Adrien twitched.

                        "Because Marinette understands that and I'm pretty sure you do, too." Luca made another grab for Adrien and gripped his right hand enough that Adrien cried out a small gasp. " _You've_ got her friendship and you're content, so let me have her love. You can brighten her classroom life and I can help the rest of her life shine, I _just need your help_. **_Shit_** _!_ " Luca yelled. "What the hell is that!?"

                        Adrien felt sick again and he heard Plagg moan. Luca had felt good at first but some battery of an energy flooded his system and he couldn't control it. It was too much. As if lightning had struck, past the roof of the bakery, and decided to land perfectly between the two boys, they felt something strong explode between them. They both went flying. Luca into the display case of desserts and bread and through the display glass. Adrien barrelled into the register, the machine chimed, smoked, he felt as fried as the machine itself.

                        After a few seconds, they both roused, moaning in pain and cradling bruised body parts. Adrien felt his head spinning and rubbed at his head to relieve the sensation. He opened his eyes slowly, gingerly looked up, heard Luca groaning before his in and out vision saw the destruction... _continuing_. Luca sat up and put his hand on his head down on the display table and Adrien watched as a black miasma ate at the table and _rusted_ the material. Adrien's eyes went wide, his jaw went slack, he couldn't form a thought but that might have been because of the bump on his head. Was he even seeing things right?

                        He knew he had to have when the table collapsed under him and he fell through. He screamed, landed on his ass, and groaned some more about the pain.

                        Adrien wasn't crazy or imagining things. Luca had just used a Cataclysm.

                        "What the hell..." Luca bemoaned, he focused on the damage finally and blinked several times. His hands shook, he looked at them, then _smiled_.

                        They heard another bang and the whole of the Dupain-Cheng family descended upon them, gasping at the state of the bakery.

                        "My god...what happened?" Tom Dupain breathed.

                        Marinette gasped, "Are you two okay? What happened?"

                        Luca gripped one of his wrists to quell the shaking to no avail, but despite the shock he was quick to point fingers. "Adrien attacked me!"

                        "Attacked?" Sabine Cheng gasped.

                        "No! That's not what happened!" Adrien tried.

                        Marinette looked between the two and couldn't figure it out. She analyzed the damage, assessed the damage on Adrien and Luca, wondered about the rust...It didn't make sense. She thought about what she knew, what she could trust, instead of her eyes, and said, "Adrien isn't the kind of person to attack someone for no reason--"

                        "He's jealous!" Luca interjected. "He's jealous I asked about you. I just wanted to know how to be nice to you and he hit me!" Luca cupped a non-bruised cheek as cover for his lie. Adrien glared and realized he was _exactly_ like Lila. Except for what he did a few seconds ago. He had somehow stolen Plagg's powers, _his_ powers, and used them without transforming.

                        "Still..." Marinette continued. "Adrien wouldn't just attack someone...not without a good reason!"

                        Adrien looked up at Marinette. He had been acting strange all day and she still believed in him. This girl was amazing. He couldn't have asked for a better friend.

                        "Luca," Marinette started carefully. "I'm not blaming you for the mess."

                        Tom scratched his head and commented, "I have to blame someone for the mess, though."

                        Marinette trudged on despite that, "I'm sure things got out of hand for both of you, but I need you to trust me and Adrien. You just turned on a friend and I really think you need a friend right now--"

                        "Why couldn't you have taken my side!?" Luca cried out, hurt coating his voice like carpet burn. "I did everything for you and you take _his_ side?!"

                        "Luca--"

                        He cursed her out and ran out the door, slipping on whipped cream on his way out, but that didn't stop his momentum for long. His red coat quickly blurring with the distance.

                        Marinette's brows rose up on the inner corners and she couldn't leave him like that.

                        "I'll go after him. Mama, papa? Can you take care of Adrien?"

                        "Yes, but Marinette--"

                        She was off before Sabine could worry anymore for her daughter. The mother of one never remembered love being this complicated back in her days...

                        "Marine--" Adrien tried to get up but balked when his whole body moved like jelly but shook him with pain. They were all bruising pains so they would pass. He needed to get out there, transform, and save Marinette from a guy who had no right to her pity and no right to his powers. Adrien noticed some cheese, and by the smell of it, camembert, on the floor near him. He swipped some before Tom and Sabine Dupain-Cheng led him to the back room to recover. As soon as they gave him the opportunity, he fled. He transformed on the way in which he saw Marinette run but blinked in confusion at the sound of a ringing _beep_ only to panic at the sight of his ring displaying only three paws. He didn't have much time because Luca had stolen it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Clearly, this OC Luca is nothing like canon Luka Couffaine coming up in Season 2 of the show next weekend. This guy was an idea I had so long ago and just wanted to fiddle with but I have to acknowledge, canon Luka LOOKS SO MUCH COOLER AND I'M SO EXCITED TO WATCH HIS EPISODE!! That being said, besides the name, I'm glad that the two are nothing alike so I can roam free and write him as selfish and creepy and in need of serious baby steps help as I want and just venture through the ML world like we all do with these fanfics. I hope everyone still enjoys a Luca struggling in the world like we all are and that you give canon Luka love when you see him! I got very inspired to continue and hope to do so from here on out!
> 
> Also! The two comments I got from the last chapter HAD ME ROLLING AROUND ON THE FLOOR!! YOU GUYS MADE ME SO HAPPY WITH YOUR ANALYSIS AND INTEREST!! It got me geared to write so thank you so much!!


	5. Seeing White and Black

Luca hadn't run far, he merely out legged Marinette so he thought he was safe. He found a quiet spot along the Seine, the lamps not yet lit and the area devoid of people. He was out of breath and had to bend over with his hands on his knees to catch his breath. He leaned his closest hand to the concrete of the river barrier and almost fell in. When he regained his balance and looked to his side he found the wall had crumbled and deteriorated. The small spark of excitement he felt when he saw what he could do quickly quelled into disappointment and anger. He kicked at the rubble near his feet. He thought about what he had done. What went wrong and scratched furiously at his head to realize there was nothing that could fix his shitty behavior, and what he had done. He had just wanted someone as kind as Marinette to care about him the same way…

                        He screamed into the sky. The sun was setting, darkening Luca's world. Whereas his despair brightened the dark lair of Paris' notorious Hawkmoth. The whirring of machinery sounded as Hawkmoth's room flooded with light. The butterflies around him scurried at the sight of it, scared for what was to come next.

                        "Hm?" Hawkmoth hummed to himself, curious. "What's this? Chat Noir out of his costume? Or a boy with more power than he knows what to do with..." He chuckled. "And such tender feelings...nothing better to fuel the fury of one of my akuma." He opened his palm for a butterfly to rest upon his palm, so fragile and soft, just like all his victims before he injected them with darkness and power. "Fly away, my little akuma! And give power to this young boy's fury."

 

When Luca finished his tantrum he felt empty on the inside. He had taken power from Adrien, given him his anger, but had nothing left for his feelings. He was in such agony from which no medicine could cure and yet he felt so dead on the inside all at the same time.

                        "No one cares about me..." he cried. “Make it stop…” he begged to the universe.

                        Suddenly, he felt a familiar rush in his veins. His head lifted up, confused, he hadn't touched anyone, and yet he felt a rush of energy. He gasped, his head dropped, and then when he heard the voice in his head he rose up with more awareness.

                        "Chat Blanc...My name is Hawkmoth. She won't love you the way you want? I can give you the power to change her mind and I think you have the power to give me what I want..."

                        "And what would that be?"

                        "The miraculouses of Ladybug and Chat Noir. You will have the power to steal _anything_ you want. You want her love? You can take it. All I ask in return are the miraculouses!"

                        "It would be my pleasure..." he purred. Luca had always felt a darkness deep in his chest, and he knew they were always wrong and landed him in trouble, but there was nothing but pleasure at the thought that this new darkness might devour him whole. The akuma infected him from a simple ring he had worn for no other reason than it matched his outfit, no significance at all to him. But this poor boy reminded Hawkmoth of his own son, lashing out because no one loved him, so a ring felt appropriate for the occasion.

                        The bubbling effect of the akuma covering his whole body had an energizing, _purposeful_ feeling to it. When Luca came out of the fog he felt better than ever. He looked at his clawed hand covered in a white leather than at the rest of him and he knew he looked like a dark haired, pearled beauty.

                        "Lu...ca?"

                        Speak of the devil...Luca's smile curled at the edges.

 

Marinette ran down the way she saw Luca head. She rushed but didn't rush too fast in case she missed Luca taking a turn at the last second or down a flight of stairs. She saw no indication he had veered from the main road and followed along the Seine.

                        "Tikki...do you think Luca could be Chat Noir? He kind of looks like a cat and the damage in the bakery..."

                        Tikki popped her head out of Marinette's bag and swayed from more than just Marinette's running. She shook her head like she was just waking up. Then looked up and told her, "It's not Chat Noir, he never transformed."

                        Marinette wasn't convinced but she didn't argue.

                        "Besides, have you ever known Chat Noir to act that selfishly? He's always a gentleman first."

                        "That's true," Marinette paused. She remembered times when Chat Noir acted strangely or when he was mad at Ladybug, especially when he was justified in his anger, but he had never been anything less then a true friend and partner. She shouldn't have to wonder who Luka was, besides, she'd eat her purse first before accepting that Chat Noir was _related_ to Lila. She frowned.

                        "Marinette, you and Chat Noir rely on us kwamis to perform magic but..." Tikki yawned and slid back into the purse.

                        Marinette perked, forgetting about everything else for a moment to say, "Tikki, I just noticed you’re feeling better?"

                        Tikki sat back up and looked up, "Not a hundred percent, but keeping away from Luca helped."

                        "What? Why?"

                        "I think he's--" Tikki stopped talking. Her gaze distracted by something in front of them.

                        Marinette, confused, looked up and slowed her run-walk when she found Luca...covered in Hawkmoth's akumatization bubble. Tikki gasped. Marinette saw him stand in a white superhero-like suit...only...it wasn't a superhero that answered Marinette's worried cry of his name. She hadn't meant to, she should have ran first and transformed, but she had never seen someone she knew evillize right in front of her.

                        "Luca?"

He turned around and Marinette gasped at the sight of him. He was in a one piece leather suit with bracers and guards and sharp claw, but unlike Chat Noir he was covered in all white and his hair was a terrifying black. His eyes looked like they were in pain with that painful color of red in them, like an allergy victim or...blood.

                        "It's Chat Blanc, actually. Or maybe...Gatto Bianco?" He laughed, deep in his throat like the sound came from somewhere deep in a cavern filled with monsters. "No, Chat Blanc, I like that..."

                        And just like that, Luca wasn't someone Marinette could go to, instead she had to run from him. She faltered a second but soon turned tail. It didn't take much effort, so Chat Blanc over shot his leap and he landed several meters in front of her. Enough space for her to stop short, out of grasping reach. He stood his full height, the length of his body smooth and beautiful in the suit, but that beauty seemed a cheap rouge and it made Marinette sick to her stomach. He chuckled without knowing how she felt and started after her.

                        “Would you care to dance?” he asked.

                        She didn't want to believe it, but all of Tikki's logical words fell short at the sight of Chat Blanc. Hawkmoth could turn even them into akumas, Marinette realized. No...Marinette still couldn't believe it...this couldn't be Chat Noir...it shouldn't have been...

                        With every step he took closer, an extra two she took backwards. She shouldn't have been afraid but she felt like if he touched her, that things would be over, but she couldn't transform in front of him...could she? His eyes grew hooded the closer he came and she wanted to cry at the sight of her Chatton like this. It was so _wrong_. Everything was wrong.

                        “Don’t be afraid, my little beauty,” his voice cooed. He reached a hand out, but he didn't offer to take her hand like he always had and whisk her to safety, his claws were curled and his palm down as if to catch her like a cat about to pounce. “Everything will be better as soon.” His gait was so much longer that he could reach her in about--

                        Something from another angle clashed against Chat Blanc's hand. He cried out and pulled his hand back to cradle his wound against his chest. He looked around and Marinette looked up at where she saw the baton fly from. _Chat Noir,_ her Chat Noir descended from a rooftop across the street and sauntered towards them, towards Chat Blanc.

                        Marinette felt the sting of hot tears in her eyes. _Her Chatton was safe...he was right there in all his glorious black leather and bouncy blond locks._

                        "Argh! Who the hell are you! Why does everyone _keep getting in my way!_ " Chat Blanc shouted.

                        When Chat Noir was close enough that he could step in front of Marinette and block her with his arm from the villain taking any advantage of her, he told his doppelganger, "Name's Chat Noir. I think you stole my schtick but honestly, you can have it as long as you _don't_ get Marinette. This one deserves to be treated like the purrincess she is." He looked over his shoulder at Marinette and gave her a reassuring wink. He turned to face Chat Blanc again and then stepped back a few more paces. When they tapped bodies he made sure his hand cupped her arm so that she wouldn't fall over. He was slowly getting her to move, and hopefully to get the hint to run.

                        Marinette blinked several times. About to do just that but only so she could come right back as Ladybug. She promised strongly in her heart that she would return and fight alongside him with her eyes.

                        She heard just as she was leaving, "You think _your_ her prince, funny guy?"

                        There was an odd lack of his normal bounciness in his voice that Marinette didn't understand as he told him, "No, not her prince, only her knight...I just need to protect her from creeps like _you_."

                        She heard a yell and than a clash of arms. She ran faster.

                        She ran until she couldn't hear them anymore and the city of Paris was oddly quiet, as if quieting to give her some peace for once in her life. She turned a corner and went in a darkened overpass. She breathed heavily, leaned with her hands on her knees to catch her breath. Her throat felt as dry and grating as sandpaper but she swallowed through it. She heard the snap of her purse open but Tikki didn't fly out as usual. Marinette looked down and heaved, "Tikki, we have to transform!"

                        "Of course! I just need to eat!" Tikki said without hesitation. She pulled out a macaroon from the purse and started nawing and chewing. Her cheeks filled to the brim like a chipmunk. Normally, Marinette would have found that adorable, but right now...

                        Marinette grabbed her purse from the bottom and lifted it up so that she was practically in Tikki's face, her nose touching the macaroon, and her eyes _wide and staring_. " _Tikki_ ," she said slowly, then in precise tones, " _Please. Eat. Faster._ "

                        Tikki paused, a bit put off her appetite with Marinette _staring at her like that_. Now Tikki understood why Marinette said she looked freaky at times. She gulped loudly. Then continued on, very apprehensively.

                        A few minutes later they made the transformation.

                        Just before, Tikki warned Marinette to take Luca to Master Fu alone if she could. He would explain things.

                        Then, all Marinette felt was the adrenaline flowing through her, telling her to run. She ran, ignoring the beeping of her earrings to say she was down one dot already. Those details all flashed by her without much thought as she rushed back to help. She may have been glad, relieved, that Chat Noir wasn't Luca, but now she needed to save both boys from this madness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOW!!!! The comments I received from the last chapter were AWESOME!!! I'm so glad to see how much Luca frustrates everyone else and not just me xDDD he is an unapologetic trouble boy and I'm sorry for him but it has been great exploring flaws with Adrien through Luca causing havoc and Marinette getting some (well too much >>) attention. Still got a roll going so here's a new one so soon! Thank you all for your comments, kudos and readership!
> 
> We're so close to canon Luka appearing so hype with me with some more jealous Chat Noir! A fangirl can hope!


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